The travel industry faces a huge opportunity to capitalize on phone calls as more consumers call to book trips directly from their smartphones, according to a data analysis released today by Marchex. This mobile advertising company focused on calls, set out to understand the behaviors of mobile consumers booking travel over the phone. Using technology that scans for key phrases, researchers analyzed more than 15,000 phone calls placed to hotel properties and national call centers from mobile and desktop ad campaigns.

The data found: • Mobile callers convert into customers at a higher rate than desktop users. • Consumers are in “purchase mode” on the phone and have an urgent intent to book. • Consumers most often call because of special requests having to do with, for instance, an event or room location. These requests require talking to someone.

The study pointed out that the travel industry, which now trails others in monetizing mobile calls, is poised for “explosive growth” in this sector.

“The travel industry might be the largest stakeholder for mobile this year,” said Eric Taylor, senior analyst at the Marchex Institute, the research arm of Marchex. “The data could not be any clearer: Phone calls will play an integral role in 2013 for travel companies looking to harness the mobile market. In a sense, what’s old is new again.”

Vice President of the Marchex Institute, John Busby, will be speaking about this data Thursday at the Smart Travel Analytics Show at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City. The entire study is available online at www.marchex.com/mobile_travel_performance.